Apparatus for wrapping articles



Oct. 15, 1940. E A.v MULLER A 2,218,293

APPARATUS FOR WRAPPING ARTICLES l Filed Feb. 23, 1939 ZvSheets-Sheet l xf I n 2013 /9 /6 mm ATTORNEYS oct. 15, 1940. E, A MULLER l 2,218,293

APPARATUS FOR WRAPPI'NG ARTICLES Filed Feb. 25, 1939 zsheets-sheez 2JMuZZe/r INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 15, 1940 APPARATUS FORWRAPPING ARTICLES Edward A. Muller, Long Island City, N. Y.

Application February 23, 1939, Serial No. 258,044

e claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in package wrappingdevices and more particularly to improvements in apparatus for wrappingpackages in sheet material, such as C'ellophane and the like.

At the present time many different types of products are marketed thatare wrapped in thin transparent sheet material, such as Cellophane orthe like. The usual means of wrapping these products is by hand in whichthe product is enveloped in a sheet of material of appropriate size andthe end of the sheet gathered together with appropriate means forholding the same in sealed condition. Hand-wrapping such products hasbeen found to be unsatisfactory in that it is diliicult to dispose andhold the sheet material about the product in a manner to present a neatand attractive appearance. A still further disadvantage cf the prior artprocess referred to is that it was also dicult, especially with objectsof irregular shape, to properly envelope the object in sheet materialpreparatory to sealing the edges of such sheet.

The primary object of the present invention resides in the provision ofan apparatus embodying means for receiving the article to be wrapped,

said article being disposed in the sheet of wrapping material and afterpositioning in the machine, is urged downwardly through means attachedthereto for causing contactual relation of the wrapper with the articlewhereby the free edges of the wrapper will be folded over the end of thearticle for sealing by appropriate sealing means.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a frameadapted to receive the article to be wrapped with flexible meansconnected to the frame for causing close contact of the wrapper with thearticle as said article and wrapper are urged within the frame.

One of the more important features of the novel wrapping deviceaccording to the present invention is that it comprises relatively fewparts, each of which is characterized by simplicity and ruggedness ofconstruction thereby minimizing initial cost of manufacture andrendering unlikely damage other than resultant from ordinary use.

The invention will be fully and comprehensively understood from aconsideration of the following detailed description when read inconnection with the accompanying drawings which form a part of theapplication.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a topI plan View of the new and improved wrapping device.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view thereof.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on line 3--3of Figure l.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view of the device illustrating theuse of the same.

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the device with an article positionedtherein for wrapping.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of an article members are supported onthe top wall of the f frame and extend within the opening, said membersbeing clamped to the frame by means of an annular ring. The ilexiblemembers have openings formed substantially centrally thereof which arereadily expansible as an article to be wrapped and the wrapper for thesame are urged through the frame opening for causing close engagement ofthe wrapper about the article and holding the same in position whilesealing the extended edges of the wrapper in folded relation over theend of the article.

Referring to the drawings for a moredetailed description thereof, thewrapping device indicated generally by the reference numeral llicomprises a substantially rectangular-shaped frame having a top wall llsupported on end walls i2 secured to said top wall by any desired means.While using the device, the same is adapted to rest upon a table orother relatively flat surface 25, the end walls i2 being of a heighth topermit the article being wrapped to be disposed through the opening inthe frame so that the bottom end of the same will rest upon the table orother surface 25.

An opening i3 is formed substantially centrally of the top wall l l thesize of which may be varied to accommodate various articles beingWrapped which are urged through the opening. In Figure 4 of the drawingsthe articleid being wrapped with a thin transparentv sheet of materiall5,

The means for holding the wrapping material in close contact with thearticle to assure a neat appearance of the wrapped article comprises apair of members I6 and I1, respectively, fabricated of rubber or similariiexible material, said members being mounted on the top wall II of theframe and held thereon by means of a superposed annular ring I8 securedto the wall II by fastening means I9. It Will be noted that the flexiblemembers IE and II have the central portion thereof disposed above theopening I3 with the lower member I6 having the central portion thereofcut out to form an opening 20 substantially smaller in diameter than theopening I3. During fabrication of the upper flexible member II, the sameis formed with a central opening 2| having a series of slits 22extending radially therefrom and communicating vwith said opening toform a multiplicity of fingers 23, which fingers are adapted togrippingly engage the body of the wrapper to cause close contact of thesame with the article as said article and wrapper are urged through therespective openings 2l, 20 and I3 as more clearly shown in Figure 4 ofthe drawings. Urging the package and wrapper through said openingscauses a stretching of both flexible members with the stretched area ofthe bottom member II providing the additional means for maintaining thelingers 23 in engagement with the wrapper I5.

The retaining ring I8 may be provided with annularly formed teeth 24which type of ring is to be employed when using fluted or crinkledwrapping material, it being understood that the crinkled surface of thewrapping material will be engaged by the teeth 2li to further assureclose contact of the wrapper with the article.

The method of wrapping articles usingv the herein described devicecomprises first placing the article I4 upon the transparent sheet ofwrapping material i5, with the article supported substantially centrallythereof. The wrapper and article are then manually urged through theopening I3 formed in the top wall of the frame and while urging the samedownwardly the openings 2I and 2B of the exible member will becomeenlarged by expansion of the material causing the fingers 23 to separateand grippingly hold the wrapper in contact with the article. The areasurrounding the opening 20 being flat, will in stretching, assist inmaintaining the fingers 23 in engagement with the wrapper. The articleand wrapper are slowly urged downwardly through the openings untilcontact is made with the supporting surface 25 of the work table or thelike at which time the intermediate portion of the exible members -willhave flexed outwardly as indicated at 26 in Figures 4 and 5 of thedrawings which tends to fold the extended edges 21 of the wrapper overthe upper end of the article for application of a seal 28 or othersealing means. In view of the fact that the: frame ID is relativelylight in weight, the same is readily lifted for permitting removal ofthe wrapped article. It has been found in practice that irregular shapedobjects can be efficiently wrapped with a thin sheet material such asCellophane or the like to present` a neat and attractive appearance withthe wrapping material inl close contact with the article on all surfacesthereof. An article wrapped in accordance with the herein describedmethod and apparatus is illustrated in Figure 6 of the drawings.

If desired a retaining ring 29 as shown in Figure 7 of the drawingshaving a smooth annular surface 30 may be substituted for the toothedretaining ring I8. This type of ring is to be lused when wrappingarticles of Cellophane or similar material of a non-crinkable nature.

Also it will be understood, of course, b-y those skilled in the art thatvariations in the hereinabove described device involving thesubstitution of substantial equivalents for the devices described areintended to be comprehended within the spirit of the present inventionand that the invention is capable of extended application and is notconfined to the exact showing of the drawings nor to the preciseconstruction described and, therefore, such changes and modications maybe made therein as do not aiect the spirit of the invention nor exceedthe scope thereof as expressed in the appendedl claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A package wrapping device including a frame having an opening thereinadapted to receive the article to b-e wrapped and the wrapper for thesame, supporting means for said frame, means disposed above said openingfor causing contactual relation between the article and Wrapper as saidarticle is operated relative to said means, said means including a pairof superposed exible rings having openings formed therein through whichthe article is moved, and iinger means formed on one of said rings forurging and retaining said wrapper into engagement with said article upontheir movement through said frame.

2. A package wrapping device including a frame having an opening thereinadapted to receive the article to be Wrapped and the wrapper for thesame, supporting means for said frame, means disposed above said openingfor causing contactual relation between the article and wrapper as saidarticle is operated relative to said means, said means including a pairof superposed iiexib-le rings supported in contacting relationthroughout their major portion and having openings formed thereinthrough which the article is moved, and finger-like portions formed onone of said rings projecting through the opening formed in the other ofsaid rings for urging and retaining said wrapper into engagement withsaid article upon their movement through said frame.

3. A package wrapping device including a frame having an opening thereinadapted to receive the article to be wrapped and the wrapper for thesame, supporting means for said frame, means disposed above said openingfor causing contactual relation between the article and wrapper as saidarticle is operated relative to said means, said means including a pairof superposed flexible rings supported in contacting relation throughouttheir major portion and having openings formed therein through which thearticle is moved, and finger-like portions formed on one of said ringsprojecting through the opening formed in the other of said rings forurging and retaining said wrapper into engagement with said article upontheir movement through said frame, the other of said rings cooperatingto maintain said ngers in engagement with said Wrapper.

EDWARD A. MULLER.

